virasanapediafandomcom-20200214-history
Isfahan
Isfahan is a planet of the Virasana Empire, the official seat of House Kyothari and the Empire’s #1 trading hub where virtually everything is for sale. Climate * two moons * neighboring Planet: Bukhara * despite all its glitter, Isfahan has a severe parasite problem - all cities are infested in one way or another, from cats, rats, stray dogs to so many others History * originally settled by the N'Ptalini * conquered by humans and re-conquered by urchins repeatedly during the Urchin War * in the end contested in bloody guerilla warfare * ancestral home planet of House Medina * only a medium N'Ptalini polulation remaining * no serfs, probably quite a signficant slave population, no census Culture Mercantilism is by far the most defining characteristic of Isfahan, suffusing every social interaction with its unique flavour. But it is rooted in deep cultural patterns of communality, and it never slipped into the cut-throat capitalism of other planets like Yaiciz or The Floor. Despite its location at the core of the empire's trading network, no particularly relevant style of cuisine has emerged from this cornucopia - none except the myriad of streetfood stalls and vendors that sell everything the empire ever invented and then some. Sweets and flatbread make a large portion of the local food, too, mostly featuring in the countless tea houses where most of Isfahan's social life is taking place. Theater is very popular, puppet and shadow plays, too, as well as street performances of any kind. Particular to Isfahan are the Gola plays - puppet plays with giant animated puppets sometimes up to a eighty feet tall - suited to be seen from afar in one of the large ubiquitous amphitheatres or just using an entire city block as stage. Architecture and fashion are well regarded and of high quality, but the real art of Isfahan in garden design. Nowhere in the entire empire you'll find grander and more pleasant gardens than here. Most of them are even free to the common public, which shows how much status a garden can bring when you consider how virtually nothing else is for free here. Rugby, Hoverball and all sorts of Gladiator Fights are highly popular, as is everything you can bet on - horse and dog races, cockfights and so on. Beauty pageants are the #1 blockbusters, though, comparing everyting from pretty slaves to yachts to poodles to origami herons. Most eyecatching for strangers is the unusual amount of public entertainment - there is virtually no street corner without a juggler or story-teller, no tea-house without musician. In the evenings, most parks sport some sort of theatre or opera, and even private commoner gatherings often offer some sort of performance as entertainment. Many larger Soukhs have public amphitheatres (madraj) build explicitly for this purpose. Cities Isfahan has no cities in the usual sense, but Soukhs that cater mostly to a specific kind of good. All other wares, of course, are sold in each Soukh as well, but they pride themselves with their specializations * Soukh Alathar (antiquities market) * Soukh Aleadl (market of justice = administration) * Soukh Alfan (art market, also: counterfeiting) * Souhk Alfakia (fruit market) * Souhk Alhayawan (livestock market) * Soukh Aljawara (jewel market, also: finances) * Souhk Alkhadamat (services market, also: mercenaries, procurers) * Soukh Alkitab (book market) * Soukh Almarkabat (vehicle market) * Soukh Alnasij (fabric market, fashion) * Soukh Alraquik (slave market) * Soukh Al-Shay (tea market, including other beverages) * Soukh Alsilah (weapons market) * Soukh Altawaboul (spice market, also: drugs, poisons and medicine) * Soukh Ateima (victuals market) including the famous Rayan Square * Soukh Mouharakat (engine market = machines) * Soukh Zuhur (flower market, also: prostitution) Notes * The duke's palace and its sprawling gardens are considered to be part of Soukh Zuhur, though it is located more inbetween Soukh Zuhur, Soukh Alfan and Soukh Aleadl. * a well-known landmark is the brilliantly white St. Mathilda Monastery in Soukh Alfakia (fruit market), that hosts many of Temple Belligra's public functions * the brightly turquoise Burj Fairuz in Soukh Alsilah is the landmark family home of the Fairuz Kyothari branch - a pentangular tower of fourty stories that is also a fully functional spaceship, famous for its internal gardens and stunning architecture. * the Fonsapientia Library in Soukh Alkitab is one of the oldest and grandest repositories of all things written, and its blue-and-green, many-domed silhouette is famous all over the empire. Unlike many landmarks on Isfahan, this one is not open to the general public, only accessible by invitation of the Duke, being a member of Temple Verata, an accredited member of a respected university or by truly generous 'donations' to the right people. * The Mukeibat Al Sukar hoverball arena in Soukh Ateima, home of the Isfahan Sugar Puffs * skiing hall * The Hamam Aleammu - a large water park with swimming pools, water slides, steam rooms and saunas in Soukh Zuhur, open to anyone for a small fee. Very popular tourist destination. * The Madraj Al Quadim - a large public amphiteatre in Soukh Zuhur, renowned for its splendid proscenium dating back to 1005 ET. * Originally a N'Ptalini settlement, the underground of Isfahan is littered with remnants of their tombs and temples. Virtually every building site has to pause at some point to remove priceless archeological artifacts. And while many known edifices were razed after the Urchin War, new discoveries this day are carefully documented and turned over to museums or collectors or turned into tourist attractions in their own right. * Many city quarters close to the waterfront of Isfahan's rivers are inhabited mostly by N'Ptalini, creating thriving communities with surprisingly little human presence * The Hawd Zamak Aquarium and Zoo in Soukh Alhayawan * Burj Zuhura - a transport hub of Soukh Aleadl comparable to the Kraken of Agami, renowned for its stunning art deco design * Embassy of the Aliaerean Empire * Hotel Interstellar Notable Isfahani Isfahani Other Articles on Isfahan Isfahan Category:Places Category:Planets Category:Kyothari Holdings Category:Virasana Empire Category:House Kyothari Category:House Medina Category:Medina Holdings